Brevitubus gen. nov. (Sŝes)

Type species. Brevitubus ellipticus sp. nov.

Etymology. The name is a combination of the Latin prefix “ brevi ” (meaning “short”) and the Latin noun “ tubus ” (meaning “tube”), referring to the short connecting tube. The gender is masculine.

Diagnosis. This new genus can be separated from all known phrurolithid genera by the combination of the following characteristics: 1) carapace with a prominent chrysanthemum-petal-shaped pattern, centered around the longitudinal fovea (Figs 2A, 3A, 4A, 5A, 6A, 7A); 2) abdomen with a short, white transverse stripe dorsally, located nearly at its posterior end (Figs 2A, 3A, 4A, 5A, 6A, 7A), and ventrally with a longitudinal line on each side and a black patch anterior to the spinnerets (Figs 2B, 3B, 4B, 5B, 6B, 7B); 3) embolus short and small, sperm duct visible through the cuticle and forming a three-quarters circle in ventral view (Figs 2E, 4E, 7E), and RTA modified, forming a half-circle-shaped bend in dorsal view (Figs 2C, 4C, 7C); 4) spermathecae bean-shaped, more or less transversely elongated (Figs 3D, 5D, 6D).

Description. Total length 2.5–5.0 mm. Carapace oval, with a chrysanthemum-petal-shaped pattern, centered around the longitudinal fovea (Figs 2A, 3A, 4A, 5A, 6A, 7A). Cervical groove inconspicuous. Eight eyes in two rows, AER and PER slightly recurved in dorsal view. Chelicerae yellow, with 3 promarginal and 4–6 retromarginal teeth, and with 2 spines (long and short) on base of each chelicera. Endite yellow, longer than wide. Labium tongue-shaped, longer than wide. Sternum yellowish brown, unpatterned. Legs yellow, without annuli. Abdomen oval, without dorsal scutum in female (Figs 3A, 5A, 6A), with dorsal scutum in male (Figs 2A, 4A, 7A); dorsum with short, white transverse dorsal line close to posterior end; venter with pair of slender black longitudinal streaks extending continuously from genital groove to spinnerets, and with black patch anterior to spinnerets (Figs 2B, 3B, 4B, 5B, 6B, 7B).

Palp. Femur with moderately developed ventral apophysis roughly located at the middle (Figs 2D, 4D, 7D); tibia with conspicuous retrolateral apophysis (RTA) strongly bent, forming a half-circle hook in dorsal view, with or without basal finger-shaped branches (with finger-shaped branch in Figs 2C, 2D, 4C, 4D and fig. 8D–F in Liu et al. 2023; without finger-shaped branches in Fig. 7C, 7D and fig. 17A–G in Mu & Zhang 2023). Tegular apophysis located anteriorly, with small triangular apex. Embolus short and small. Conductor membranous, longitudinal palm-shaped (Figs 2E, 4E, 7E).

Epigyne. Small atrium anteriorly (Figs 5C, 6C), or absent (Fig. 3C); copulatory openings inconspicuous; median septum of various shapes (elongated in Fig. 5C, goblet-shaped in Fig. 6C, rectangular) or absent (Fig. 3C); connecting tubes very short, contiguous; spermathecae bean-shaped, more-or-less transversely elongated (Figs 3D, 5D, 6D).

Remarks. Although all members of the new genus have two lateral lines in the ventrum of the abdomen as well as a black patch anterior to the spinnerets, the patterns in the region between two lateral lines differs among different species: no additional pattern present (Figs 3B, 7B); another black patch present, and more anterior from the spinnerets (Figs 4B, 6B); another black patch present, forming a large patch by connecting the black patch closer to the spinnerets (Figs 2B, 5B).

Composition. Brevitubus ellipticus sp. nov., B. lunatus sp. nov., B. subellipticus sp. nov., B. subpinglong sp. nov., B. ailan (Liu, Xu, Xiao, Yin & Peng, 2019) comb. nov., B. haitun (Liu, Xu & Yin, 2023) comb. nov., B. jiulong (Liu & Li, 2022) comb. nov., and B. pinglong (Liang, Li, Yin, Li & Xu, 2021) comb. nov.

Distribution. China (Hunan, Jiangxi and Guangxi) (Fig. 8)